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Four Pirates Hitting Prospects Ending 2026 With Momentum

Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A hat and glove belonging to Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jared Triolo (not pictured) on the field against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Four Pirates Hitting Prospects Ending 2026 With Momentum

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Sep 3, 2026 3:20 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league affiliates' seasons are coming to an end, with a few players standing out.

Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro are in their final series of the season, Double-A Altoona has two more series and Triple-A Indianapolis has three more series, with all teams nearing their final games.

The end of a season is a crucial time for Pirates prospects, who have little time to impress the front office and for their standing in 2027.

Four Pirates hitting prospects have produced over the last few months and are finishing the 2026 season the best way they can.

Tony Blanco Jr. Brings the Power

The Pirates' best power prospect is none other than Greensboro first baseman/designated hitter Tony Blanco Jr.

Blanco was incredible in August and has been one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League.

Stat (Total)	Ranking
OPS (1.203)	First
On-Base Percentage (.457)	Tied-First
Slugging Percentage (.746)	Second
Batting Average (.343)	Fourth
Home Runs (8)	Tied-Fourth

It was by far his best month at Greensboro and came after he missed a month on the injured list, June 21-July 24, which could've hurt his season.

Blanco has had a lengthy injury history, holding him to just a season-high of 40 games in 2023, but he has played 80 games this season, double the amount.

There's a lot to like about Blanco, who put up incredible exit velocities and distances at Bradenton and then in the Arizona Fall League, where he won the Home Run Derby.

If Blanco stays on the field, he should excel at Altoona in 2027, even with the pitcher-friendly confines of Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Murf Gray Continues Dominance at Altoona

It's not easy for any Pirates prospect to move up from Greensboro to Altoona, and third baseman Murf Gray dealt with that as well.

Gray earned his promotion to Altoona on July 17 and was hitting .183 on Aug. 14, before finishing the month hitting .313/.390/.625 for an OPS of 1.015 in 13 games.

He added three doubles, four home runs, three of them coming in his past seven games, 12 RBI and seven walks to 12 strikeouts, showing that he can make adjustments quickly, especially against better hitting.

Gray has been excellent in his first full professional season, after the Pirates took him 73rd overall out of Fresno State in the 2025 MLB Draft.

He has hit .303/.401/.573 for an OPS of .974 across three levels and 116 games, with 31 home runs, 24 doubles, 131 hits, 92 RBI and 61 walks to 108 strikeouts.

Gray leads all Pirates minor leaguers in home runs, OPS and slugging percentage and ranks second in hits and RBI.

A strong ending to 2026 allows Gray to show that he's ready for next season and potentially a shot at playing for the Pirates.

Edward Florentino Heating Up to end 2026

Few Pirates prospects entered 2026 with more hype than outfielder Edward Florentino, and after his breakout 2025 season, there was hope he could do much of the same this year.

It wasn't an easy start for Florentino, who dealt with an ankle injury that kept him out of Spring Training early on and then delayed his Greensboro debut until May.

Florentino struggled through June, but had a great July and kept that up through August, making him one of the better hitters in the South Atlantic League.

He hit 15 home runs, 11 doubles and 42 RBI over those two months, with 29 walks and 51 strikeouts for a .246/.364/.589 and an OPS of .952.

The 19-year-old is the Pirates' top position player prospect, ranking 35th overall by MLB Pipeline and 40th per Baseball America.

Florentino finding some extra power towards the end of 2026 is important for him and his development, as he and Blanco will have to adjust to Peoples Natural Gas Field next season.

Brent Iredale Bounces Back in Second Half of 2026

It was a really tough start for Bradenton third baseman Brent Iredale to 2026, one that could've derailed his entire season.

Iredale, whom the Pirates took in the seventh round out of Arkansas in 2025, didn't get a hit in his first 10 games, 44 plate appearances and 33 at-bats at Single-A.

The Australian went on the 7-day injured list on April 20, had a successful rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, and returned as one of Bradenton's better hitters.

Iredale returned from injury on June 11 and has hit .282/.418/.559 for an OPS of .978 in 54 games, with 50 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs, 35 RBI and 36 walks to 63 strikeouts.

He posted a plus-1.000 OPS in June and August, and he's hitting as well as he did in his last season with Arkansas in 2025, .286/.450/.544 for an OPS of .994.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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